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John Paul Thornton - Updated status

Said "As I stated in the first post, below is posted a recent sample of my writing, a white paper on the effects of budget cuts on the Mental Health Department in the State of Alabama. I trust that it effectively conveys my skill and education level in regards to consulting/article writing/research. I believe that I am worth every penny and more of my fee, and I think you will agree if you hire me."

Said "Then 'compare that with the way Gov. Robert Bentley is promising he won't let inmates out of overcrowded prisons because of a budget crisis. Bentley has called on the Legislature to appropriate an extra $45.3 million from the General Fund this fiscal year to prevent early release of any prisoners.' (3) It deeply saddens me to see so clearly where the budgetary and legislative priorities lie. That the well being of myself and my friends is held to be less important than keeping inmates (the majority of which are in for nonviolent offenses) locked up.
So please consider this a formal plea for a legislative miracle. Please read this, and think about your friends, family and/or loved ones who suffer from a mental illness, and think about them with less help and options than they already have. Then think about contacting your legislator with the express goal of keeping the Alabama Department of Mental Health alive and viable."

Over 30 days ago - Like

John Paul Thornton - Updated status

Said "The bottom line is that the DMH is underfunded, and losing the ability to adequately carry out its mission. This is unconscionable. I believe that a society can best be judged by how it cares for the least among them. And in the case of our consumers, they are being deprioritized, the responsibility of their care being unmet. Another point made was that although we live in the 'Bible Belt', actions such as deprioritizing the health and well being of consumers belie the name.
In another message I sent out, I said that 'cuts to the budget ANYWHERE should not be balanced on the backs of those least able to afford or withstand it.' The resulting loss in services WILL, without doubt, result in more consumers ending up in either a general hospital emergency room, homeless or in jail. None of which are to the betterment of society at large, much less to the consumer."

Over 30 days ago - Like

John Paul Thornton - Updated status

Said "The plan that has been in the news lately is the closure of some or all of the state mental hospitals. While these are indeed a significant portion of the DMH budget (about $92M state dollars on NARH, Greil, Bryce, and Searcy right now, as best that we can determine), they do serve a crucial and necessary role. This role appears to have been recently acknowledged by the Governor and Commissioner. In Sunday's (April 1) Decatur Daily, there was an article entitled "Preliminary plan to keep regional hospital open", with the obvious contents. “We have not finalized the plan yet, but at present that is my plan,” Gov. Robert Bentley said last week during a visit here. (2) Which means that services, facilities and/or staff would have to be cut somewhere else, potentially resulting in a greater negative impact."

Over 30 days ago - Like

John Paul Thornton - Updated status

Said "(cont.) The shortfall for the remainder of FY 2012 is now $ 12.3 million and will be as much as $29 million in fiscal 2013, according to DMH Commissioner Zelia Baugh. And in a letter dated 23 March 2012 from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (Bazelon), with the impact of a 25% reduction in FY 2013 appropriation, 'Alabama's public mental health system would be on the verge of collapse'. (1)
Plans are being formulated to mitigate the coming budget crunch. But the fact of the matter is, the cuts are coming, barring some legislative miracle, and in one way or another, DMH will have to make some very hard decisions regarding the allocation of funds, while simultaneously trying to provide a minimum standard of services to consumers statewide, which is of course, the primary reason for its existence."

Over 30 days ago - Like

John Paul Thornton - Updated status

Said "Hmm...couldn't figure out how to post a white paper/portfolio document, so here is one I wrote last month on the effects of budget cuts on the Mental Health Department in the State of Alabama (in segments, as the character limit is 1000/post).
Balancing the Budget on the Backs of the Mentally Ill
The True Cost of Cuts to the Alabama Department of Mental Health
As you know, the State of Alabama is in dire straights financially. Proration and cuts have been announced into the forseeable future. The reasons for this are numerous, but here, we will only talk about one small portion: the impact of these cuts on the Alabama Department of Mental Health (DMH)."

Over 30 days ago - Like

John Paul Thornton - Updated status

Said "Just finished an informal report on drug crime incarceration rates in my county (inordinately low) and a position paper on the effect of cuts to the budget of the AL Dept of Mental Health."